Mine-destroying device.



A. FERNANDEZ.

MINE DESTROYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-20, l 9l6.

' Patented Alig. 7, 1917 I 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ALFE RNANDEZ. MINE DESTROYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-20,1916. I 1,235,783. Patented Aug. 7,1917.

2 SHEETS'-SHEET 2.

/ 1 gwvemtoz ivrmn-nnsrnorrns DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Aug. '7, 1917.

Application filed September 20, 1916. Serial No. 121,252.

cm, a subject of the King of Spain, residing at the city of Washington,in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Mine-Destroying Devices; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeanduse the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an efficient spring actuatedgun for use on submarines for the purpose of secretly directingprojectiles against mines while the vessel is submerged. In carrying outthis object, I employ certain novel features of construction and uniquecombinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, thedescriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings whichconstitute a part of this application and in which: s

Figure 1 is a side elevation of, the improved gun showing the samelocated in an external compartment of a submarine, the device being inposition for loading; a

Fig. 2 is a similar view after a proj has been placed in the barrel;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view Fig. 5 is a horizontalsection showing therelation of parts when the projectile is first placed in the barrel;

Fig. 6 is a similar view with the projecting spring compressed; 7

Figs. 7 and 8 are transverse sections on the planes indicated by theline. 77 of Fig. 4, showing differentpositions of parts; and

Fig. 9 is a detail longitudinal section on the plane indicated by theline 99 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings above briefly described, the numeral 1 designates anexternal compartment in a submarin said compartment being water tightbut having doors 2 which may be opened so that the improved gun which ismounted in said compartment 1 may direct projectiles against so-calledfloating mines, another door 3 being provided for the purpose ofpermitting gunners in diving suits to enter the compartment 1, thediving suits employed preferably having individual air tanks althoughair may be sup ectile plied to the men from the interior of the ship bythe provision of other suitable means. These details, however, need notbe entered into at length in the present application. I

A suitable base 4 is mounted on the bottom of the compartment 1 and arotary gun mount 5 is disposed on said base, the gun barrel 6 beingpivoted at 7 to said mount to permit it to swing vertically. The barrel6 is open at its rear end to permit the insertion of metal projectiles 8and anyappropriate type of trigger 9 is providedfor holding theprojectiles against forwardmovement until the required time, the trigger9 belng shown in the form of a vertical bolt having an operating lever10 by means v of which it may be released.

A stiff coiled spring 11 is adapted to be inserted in the rear end ofthe barrel 6 and to be compressed against the projectile 8, said springbeing carried by a cross head 12 whose ends are formed with hearing openngs through which a pair of screws 13 pass rotatably, said screws belngformed of front and rear sections 14 and 15 hinged together at 16, thefront sections 1 1 carrying the screws proper which pass slidablythrough cars 17 which rise from flanges 18 on the opposite sides of thebarrel 6, the

outer edges of said flanges preferably having channels 19 which receivethe screws slidably (see Figs. 7,8 and 9).

Semi-cylindrical nuts 20 are pivoted a 21 to the flanges 18 in such amanner as to permit them to swing vertically, said nuts 7 when loweredengaging the screws 13 whereby as the latter are turned they will movethe cross head 12 inwardly'to compress the spring 11 preparatory toreleasing the trigger 9 to cause said spring to impel the proj ectileStoward the mine, at which the gun is pointed. ,To quickly return thecross head 8 and the spring 11, however, for reloading the gun, the nuts20 are swung upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 8 and thus arearward pull on the cross head will move the numerous parts to normalposition, the hinges 16 permitting the rear sections 15 of the screws 13to swing downwardly as shown in Fig. 1 for the purpose of allowing an-.

other projectile tobe uninterruptedly inserted in the barrel.

Any suitable means may be provided for raising and lowering the nuts 20but they are preferably connected by links 22 with points on oppositesides of the fulcrum of a lever 23 mounted on top. of the barrel 1, asuitable pawl 24 and rack 25 being em ployed for locking the lever 23 inone posi tion or the other.

T he unthreaded portions of the screws 13 pass slidably through guides26 on the rear end of the barrel 6 and thus when the cross head 12 islifted from the position shown in Fig. l and forced forwardly, thehinges 16 will be received in said guides to sustain the sections 15 ofthe screws, thus relieving the weight thereof from the spring 11.

F or turning both screws 13 simultaneously, any suitable means may beprovided but the rear ends of said screws are preferably equipped withgears 27 meshing with another gear- 28 which is equipped with a handle29.

In use, the submarine equipped with one or more of the improved gunswill travel a suitable distance below the surface of the water to permitthe mines to be located. By means of a telescopic sight such as thatindicated at 30, the gun will now be aimed at the target by the diverswithin the compartment 1 the door-s 2 having been previously opened.Byoperating the lever 10 a projectile may now be forced from the gunagainst the mine to explode the latter and this having been done, thelever 23 is operated to raise the nuts 20. This allows the cross head 12to be moved rearwardly to withdraw the spring 11, whereupon said head islowered and another projectile is inserted in the breech of the barrel.lVhen the cross head 12 is now again raised and forced forwardly, thenuts 20 are shifted downwardly into engagement with the screws 13whereupon turning of the gear 28 by the handle 29 will cause the screwsto pull the cross head inwardly to again compress the spring 11 fordischarging the second projectile. All subsequent operations will beperformed in the same manner and it will be obvious that the device isan effective instrument of naval warfare.

On account of ease of operation and the advantages derived, theconstruction shown and. described constitutes the preferred form of thedevice but it is to be understood that within the scope of the inventionas claimed, numerous changes may be made without sac-- rificing theprincipal advantages. Y

I claim:

1. A gun of the class described comprising a barrel having an open rearend into which projectiles are to be placed, a trigger for temporarilyholding the projectile in place in said barrel, a spring to be insertedinto the barrel inrear of the projectile, a support on which said springis carried, and means for moving said support forwardly to compress thespring and for permitting said support to be quickly retracted; towithdraw the spring after the trigger is released.

:2. A gun of the class described comprising a barrel having an open rearend into which projectiles are to be placed, a trigger for temporarilyholding the projectile in place in said barrel, a spring to be insertedinto the bar-rel in rear ofthe projectile, a support on which saidspring is carried, a screw for moving the support forwardly to compress,the spring, a support for said screw, and half nut movable downwardlyonto said screw, said nut whenraised from engagement with the screwpermitting quick retraction of the latter.

3. A gun of the class described comprising a barrel open at its rear endto receive a projectile, a trigger for temporarily holding theprojectile against forward movement in the barrel,a support carryingsaid spring, a screw for compressing said spring, said screw having oneend mounted on said support and being formed of two sections hingedtogether to permit the spring to move downwardly below the barrel, and aguide into which the hinge may be moved to sustain the rear section ofthe screw.

4:. A gun of the class described compris ing a barrel open at its rearend to receive a projectile, a trigger for temporarily holding saidprojectile against for-ward movement in the barrel, a coiled springinsertible into said rear end of the barrel, means for compressing saidsprmg against the projec tile, and means for then releasing saidtrigwitnesses.

ALPHONSE FERNANDEZ.

Witnesses L. O. HIL'roN, J. A. GmEsBAunR.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissio e of Eetents Washington, D. 0.

